Chapter 8: Isekai Life & Uphill Battle

Katriana woke up first, and had to shake me awake. I guess I did end up sleeping pretty poorly after all, despite my best efforts, but at least my older sister let me sleep until after she was out of bed and had a moment to stretch. After last night, it would have been a little awkward to have to watch her stretch anyway.

While Katriana started strapping her armour on, I cracked open my spellbook to memorize new spells for the day. My sister caught on before I did, though. “Why are you doing that? You didn’t cast anything yesterday.”

Right. In AD&D, your spell slots don’t free up until you use the magic you’ve memorized. I was stuck with Armor and Sleep until I used them. Crap, I was hoping to prepare Featherfall. We are clmibing into a mountain pass after all.

But, opening my spellbook did remind me of one thing. In AD&D, Armor lasted until you took a certain amount of damage. I took the little square of cured leather from one of my pouches, did the associated mudra with my hands, and cast the Armor spell.

I was now protected by the Armor spell literally until I died. Or took a cumulative 9 damage, at least. Or someone cast a dispel on me. Provided I got through today with just Sleep prepared, I could memorize a new spell tomorrow morning.

After a quick breakfast of porridge flavoured with honey and a couple hunks of bread each, we headed outside to wait for Voss. Neither of us spoke much ... did she feel awkward after masturbating?

... Wait, did she realize I was listening, or heard me afterwards?

“Hey! Good morning!”

Voss’ cheerful greeting startled me out of my thoughts. Katriana waved to him, and he jogged over, the weapons in his harness jingling with every step.

When he stopped, he seemed to notice whatever tension was in the air. “Uh, bad night?” He asked, glancing between us.

I interjected before Katriana could. “I always have a hard time sleeping on new beds. I guess maybe I kept Katriana awake last night with my tossing and turning.”

Katriana suddenly stood up straighter and looked away.

Crap, she did hear me.

Well, at least she wasn’t accusing me of anything...

“Right...” Voss replied, “Well, we’re off to the northeast pass, right? Judging from the directions you mentioned, it should only take us til about noon to get to where that party camped, so we may as well get going.”

With that, our not-quite-together party was off.

The ground elevation started to increase substantially before we even got out of the city. The actual city gate was at the top of a hill, then rolled down a short slope before ascending again. It was a stupid place to put a city gate, until you realized that any invaders would have to somehow get a catapult to the top of a mountain first before they knocked it down.

After half an hour, I was tired. Another hour later, I was gasping as I hauled my way up the mountain. But, hey, at least Katriana was talking to me again.

“Theodore, give me your pack.”

Greatfully, I handed it over. Just what do they make spellbooks out of, anyway!?

“Are you alright? Are you sure you can handle this climb? Your face is all red.”

I took a moment to just stand and pant before replying. “If I ... haaa ... can’t climb a ... haaa ... damn hill ... haaa ... how am I going to ... haaa ... get our home back?”

That had an immediate effect on my sister. Her concerned frown bloomed into a beautiful smile, and she even rubbed my back for a brief moment.

“That’s my pr ... ah, that’s my brother,” she said, before stepping back, “Take all the time that you need, I’ll take care of your things for now.”

This stupid sister. You’re supposed to be the one falling for me, not the other way around.

“Wow, you two are really ... close, aren’t you?” said Voss from a little further ahead.

Katriana had to shade the sun from her eyes before answering him. “I’ve taken care of him my whole life. When I was four years old, my mother took me over to his crib and made me swear a blood oath to protect him.”

“Hey, you two are nobles or something? I didn’t realize...”

“Don’t worry about it. Our circumstances have changed since then, and we’re adventurers like you, now. But I’m never going to forget my oath.”

Voss chuckled.

“What about it?”

“Oh, I was just wishing that I had a sister like you...”

Katriana playfully threw a rock at Voss’ thigh, impacting with an audible thump. Voss laughed it off, though, cheered by the teasing.

I also grinned, hoping that every adventure would start this way.

Well, maybe without Voss.

As expected, we arrived on top of a crest overlooking the city, where there was an obvious firepit, although a couple days old. While Katriana and Voss went to investigate the site, I was left on my own to catch my breath and rest a bit.

I ended up staring back down into the river valley. The view was incredible. Immediately at the foot of the slope, the city spread out over the valley, bustling with activity, only stopped by the natural border of the river, which wove through the valley like a green ribbon. I was momentarily shocked by the view.

“Beautiful...”

At some point Katriana had stepped up beside me.

“Yeah,” I replied, looking back out at the valley, “Thanks for carrying my stuff all the way up here.”

“Of course I would. Don’t worry about those kinds of things, I’m sure with all this travel we’re doing, you’ll get stronger someday soon. Come on, Voss has found something.”

Voss was on the far side of the campsite. He pointed to a crest off in the distance.

“See that weird, regular shape in the crestline?”

I had to squint, but I was able to pick out the shape. A regular, trapezoidal ridge, coloured to match the surroundings, jutted just about the crest. Likely, if you weren’t more or less level with it, you wouldn’t be able to see it- from below the mountains would obscure it, and from higher above it would be camouflaged.

“It’s some kind of ruin,” Voss continued, “Never been there myself, but I’ve see it from here before. People say it’s bad luck to approach, maybe even haunted. I don’t know if anyone’s ever explored it, but there’s no place else for days around to hide, except for the city, box canyons and crevices.”

“That doesn’t rule out the pictsy hiding in a natural setting,” I pointed out.

“Well, sure, but I figure it’s worth rolling the dice on the only structure around that isn’t guarded before searching ever nook and cranny on the whole damn range.”

I gave it some thought. He certainly had a point... “Why didn’t you tell us about this before?”

“I was hoping we’d find some more evidence up here. Tracks or something, but no dice.”

Ha, I guess not, considering he would’ve made a Wisdom check.